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Council & Politics · CroydonCroydon Council’s voids stay empty longer, 417 homes still vacant
Croydon Council reported 417 empty council homes in Q1 2026/27, with the average void period increasing to 206 days. More than 8,300 applicants sit on the housing register and 3,269 households live in temporary accommodation, prompting criticism from residents and a new improvement plan from the council.
Croydon3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 22
Council & Politics · All LondonHounslow Council fined £1,000 for failing disabled residents
Hounslow Council has been ordered to pay £1,000 to two disabled individuals after failing in its housing duty. The council closed their homelessness application without informing them and did not provide interim accommodation, leaving them sofa surfing for over a year.
All London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 80 · Hype 30
Council & Politics · CroydonCroydon Council avoids £426,000 in temporary housing as 63 families relocate through Reloc8
Croydon Council reported that 63 households completed moves via the Reloc8 programme by May 2026, saving an estimated £426,000 in emergency accommodation costs after receiving roughly 4,400 new homelessness applications in the 2025/26 year.
Croydon4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 64 · Hype 28
Local News · LondonOvercrowded Traveller site forces up to 15 people to share one bathroom in North London
A Traveller community in North London reports that on one pitch up to 15 people are forced to share a single bathroom. The group says the situation is dangerous and calls for immediate action, while no official response has been recorded.
London3 min readTrust 62 · Craft 62 · Hype 15- Council & Politics · London
London homes at high risk of overheating, report warns
Londoners are facing an increasing risk of overheating in their homes, with 75 per cent of social housing stock identified as being at high risk. A new report urges the Mayor to speed up home retrofitting to protect residents from extreme heat.
London3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 80 · Hype 30 
Property & Planning · HackneyHackney Council appoints Wates to finish Britannia housing scheme after cost surge
Hackney Council has named Wates Group Ltd as the new builder for the stalled Britannia regeneration, increasing the projected cost to over £197 million. The council used delegated powers to approve the contractor change without cabinet approval and refused a Freedom of Information request for related legal documents.
Hackney3 min readTrust 65 · Craft 60 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · WandsworthWandsworth Council to host developer forum at Battersea Power Station
Wandsworth Council is hosting a developer forum at Battersea Power Station to foster collaboration and drive investment. The initiative aims to accelerate housing delivery and support economic growth throughout the borough, with future sessions planned.
Wandsworth3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 72 · Hype 30
Council & Politics · LondonMuswell Hill tenant wins £7,884 after landlord fined for unlicensed HMO
A tenant has successfully reclaimed nearly £8,000 in rent from her landlord after a tribunal found the Muswell Hill property was an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation. The property had issues including mould, fire hazards, and a collapsed ceiling.
London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 80 · Hype 12
Council & Politics · LewishamLewisham Mayor Liam Shrivastava marks 100 days in office
Liam Shrivastava, Lewisham's first directly-elected Green Mayor, has passed his 100-day milestone. His administration has initiated a review into cooperation with immigration enforcement and reported clearing over 11,000 fly-tipping sites since May 2026.
Lewisham4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Council & Politics · WestminsterFormer tenant ordered to pay £494k for council flat fraud
Westminster City Council has secured a Confiscation Order of £494,415.52 against former tenant Saeed Yasin Hosseini. He was found to have fraudulently obtained a council property in Pimlico and illegally sublet it before purchasing it under the Right to Buy scheme.
Westminster3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 75 · Hype 45
Local News · LondonLondon robotaxis delayed, Ealing buys 95 flats, Wandsworth to appeal 160% tax hike
The Guardian says robotaxi pilots will not start this year, Ealing Council will purchase 95 new‑build flats in Acton for its tenants, and Wandsworth Council together with the Conservative Party plan to appeal a proposed 160% council‑tax rise, according to Politics Home.
London3 min readTrust 64 · Craft 67 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · BarnetGrenfell-linked boss appointed to senior role at Barnet Group
Laura Johnson, who faced criticism for her role during the Grenfell Tower fire, has been appointed group director of development and property at The Barnet Group. The council stated she was appointed on merit after a robust recruitment process for the publicly advertised role.
Barnet3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 75 · Hype 45
Council & Politics · NewhamBoy, 5, died after falling from 15th-floor window
A five-year-old boy died after falling from a 15th-floor window in Plaistow. The assistant coroner concluded there was no basis for a report to prevent future deaths, despite concerns raised about the window's safety.
Newham4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 35
Council & Politics · WandsworthWandsworth Council ordered to pay £500 for homelessness application mishandling
Wandsworth Council must pay a mother £500 for mishandling her homelessness application, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has ruled. The council withdrew two temporary accommodation offers before eventually housing the resident.
Wandsworth3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · LondonCity Hall housing targets criticised for favouring flats over family homes
London's housing targets are encouraging developers to build too many small flats instead of the family-sized homes the capital needs, according to a report by Conservative Assembly Member Andrew Boff. The current focus on unit numbers may be forcing families to leave the city.
London3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 95 · Hype 35
Property & Planning · LondonLondon rents rise 2.2% to £2,302 a month, K&C still tops, Bexley cheapest
The Office for National Statistics July 2026 release indicates London’s average private‑rental price climbed 2.2% to £2,302 a month. Kensington & Chelsea stayed the priciest borough at £3,596, Bexley the cheapest at £1,528, and Barnet’s exact figure was not disclosed.
London3 min readTrust 62 · Craft 85 · Hype 25
Council & Politics · HackneyHackney Council to face new legal duty on tenant home cooling
Hackney Council will soon have a legal obligation to ensure its tenants' homes are kept cool, as part of an extension to Awaab's Law. The new regulations, expected by the end of 2026, aim to address the growing risk of overheating in London properties.
Hackney4 min readTrust 68 · Craft 95 · Hype 30- Property & Planning · London
Right to Buy in London: the discount is £16,000, not £136,400
The maximum Right to Buy discount in London is £16,000, down from £136,400 for applications made before 21 November 2024. Barking and Dagenham and Havering are the two exceptions at £38,000. This explains the percentages, the qualifying period and the repayment rule.
London6 min read - Property & Planning · London
Section 21 has gone. What that changes for renters in London
Section 21 no-fault eviction was abolished for private tenancies in England on 1 May 2026. This sets out what replaced it, the notice periods a landlord must now give, what a deposit may legally be, and where the rules still catch people out.
London8 min read